It's been a long time .

Has it been so long , really ?
Can’t believe it though,
how much you’ve changed.
Foolish of me to think
You would still remain
the same, with that disarming grin .
That brought sunshine in my life
on dark weary days .
It’s been really a long time
now that I think about it .
But , oh well ,
I could find you
and only that matters.
Memories , some of those
I have forgotten , some you have.
Together , we can salvage them
like treasure buried
in a ship wrecked long ago.
Sit with me for a while
it’s been a long time that you did .
There’s no need to say something
we need not say anything at all .
Savour the smell of this time
that we have got for us to spend;
the fresh aroma of a beginning
brewed from the roots
of a distant past .
I did miss you ,
so don’t make it too long
for us to meet again .

Praktan

#Praktan has turned out to be an awesome experience. I would highly recommend this movie to everybody. It is sub-titled in English and the appeal is universally relevant. Nobody will return disappointed with movie. It has got a wide release throughout India and even outside. I hope moviegoers will take this opportunity to watch an excellent movie. You can identify with the story, beyond the language.

Praktan stands out on the strength of its overall treatment because in spite of a very straight line and commonplace story with an expected ending, it keeps the audience interested till the last scene. The suspense is never overwhelming but always grips the attention. The tight editing, superb camerawork, wonderful songs and contextual relief sequences never lets the focus shift from the flow of the story, in a series of  flashbacks. The director duo deserve kudos for this movie.

Praktan, literally means the prefix Ex , as used to describe a past  association or relation. Here the story deals with the sudden and fateful chance meeting of an estranged and divorced couple, on a train journey from Mumbai to Kolkata.  The woman boards the train from Mumbai to find her ex husband's present wife and daughter as co passengers in the 1st class AC coupe. The man himself joins his family at Nagpur, ostensibly to surprise his present wife on her birthday but is himself surprised to find his ex-wife with them. The train journey and the interactions brings back memories in flashbacks to relate the present with the past and explores a tortuous trajectory of a relationship of love going haywire due to ego, obstinacy, misunderstanding and immaturity. It is a very plausible and normal story of our times. The travails of a career minded working woman partnering a less career oriented man is also narrated in a very sensitive manner. The story also tries to explain how love is very much necessary but can not be the sole cementing factor for a stable relationship.

The train journey forms the backdrop for the present to unravel the past.  The use of train compartment and coupes will make one feel  nostalgic and may also bring the memories of the movie Nayak by the master director  Satyajit Ray. It could have been a claustrophobic experience with the confinement of a coupe but a very innovative casting and selection of co passengers to provide relief through humour and music makes the total journey very interesting and interactive. So much so that at a certain point the audience will identify with the journey.  And some shots of the moving train would just make you say- WOW.   Indian Railways may think about adopting this movie as a showcase.

Apart from the train,   the wonderful shots of Kolkata weaves a nostalgic romance in the flashback scenes. The music of the movie helps to take it along and though my favourite Anupam Roy is again back with a wonderful composition, Surojit's folk based rendition upstages him for its audio visual effect . Even I will admit that.

It was a pleasure to see veteran thespians, Soumitra and Sabitri Chatterjee pairing up to provide a glimpse of their acting skills. The recitation of the theme poetry by Soumitra babu works better than a song to create the mood.  The innovative casting of singers Anupam, Surojit, Anindya and Upal as themselves is a great idea to make music relevant to the story and the antakshari scene is rollicking too. A thread of relationship is also explored through them. Bishwanath provides a good comic relief as the  young husband on honeymoon with his wife in the single coupe. But Manali Dey as his peppy and saucy young wife is  a revelation. She is very, very good. And the child artist too.

Rituparna and Prosenjit in the central roles are so much fitting that the old chemistry between them seems to be reignited. They carry the movie on the strength of their acting.  Rituparna expresses the emotions so wonderfully with her facial expressions. But Aparajita Adhya as the roly poly housewife probably gives the performance of her life in this film. And a momentary expression on her face in the climax is the high point of the movie. She is the actor who will stay with the audience, to remember, long after the movie. A standing ovation for her.

This thin story could have easily degenerated into somethng else. But Nandita-Shibaprasad, the director duo never let it go out of hands and the restraint showed is commendable. The tight screenplay and interspersion of the train journey with flashbacks is never boring or jerky.  The drama is never allowed to be a melodrama. And the bitterness and sadness of a broken relation never overwhelms into a sentimental excess. In fact, the movie is quite positive and provides feel good vibes inspite of  dealing with a subject of negative memories. You come out of the theatre with a refreshed mind.

Abki baar

अबकी बार , केवल दुष्प्रचार
अबकी बार , महंगाई की मार
अबकी बार , ठप्प हुआ व्यापार
अबकी बार , किसानों में हाहाकार
अबकी बार , मजे में बड़े कर्जदार
अबकी बार , दोषी भागे देश के पार
अबकी बार , अमीरों के मददगार
अबकी बार , दलितों पर वार
अबकी बार , छात्रों पर अत्याचार
अबकी बार , महिलायों से बलात्कार
अबकी बार , असहिष्णुता के अन्धकार
अबकी बार , बाबाओं के चमत्कार
अबकी बार , विज्ञान नहीं कुसंस्कार
अबकी बार , चुनाव में करारी हार
अबकी बार , दुनिया घूम आये सरकार
अबकी बार , बस अब रहने दे मेरे यार

Abki baar , keval dushprachar
Abki baar , mehangai ki maar
Abki baar , thapp hua vyapar
Abki baar , kisanon mein hahakar
Abki baar , maze mein badhe karzdar
Abki baar , doshi bhaage desh ke paar
Abki baar , amiron ke madadgar
Abki baar , daliton par vaar
Abki baar , chhatron par atyachar
Abki baar , mahilaon se balatkar
Abki baar , asahishnuta ke andhakar
Abki baar , babaon ke chamatkar
Abki baar , vigyan nahin kusanskar
Abki baar , chunav mein karari haar
Abki baar , duniya ghum aayen sarkar
Abki baar , bas ab rehne de mere yaar

Random poetry 23052016

As I stood at the riverbank
with the thirst of a lifetime,
rendering me dry from within,
I prayed for mercy ;
with my palms clasped together,
kneeling down on the sands.
Salvation , looked so distant
even when it was so much near.
For the tormented soul
with memories of nightmares,
thoughts of retribution
flashed before the closed eyes
even when the mind
screamed for the healing touch.
Burning in the fires of hell
for all these years ,
had perhaps changed me.
I was no more a human,
I was the monster which I felled .

Rajiv Gandhi

It was a warm morning to wake up. Though the rest of the country was immersed in a heat wave, this place nestled in the foothills surrounded by tea gardens was comparatively pleasant. And the tinned roof overhead cooled overnight to make the early morning much better. Still, it was summer and there was no escape from the heat as soon as the Sun came out.

I was always an early riser, generally speaking. And in summers, you tend to rise early. The sunrise was happening before six o clock.  And we had to be early for another reason. The water supply. The morning supply was for three hours, five to eight. So we had to finish off the morning chores and also store water in the drums for cooking, washing and cleaning. The next supplies of water would be in the afternoon and evening. I would come home for lunch.  And my wife enjoyed a small siesta with my son, post lunch. In the evenings, both of them strolled to the shopping centre where my office was. We returned home, together.

As I got off from the bed, I noticed my wife was already up and in the kitchen, preparing the tea which we generally had together, sitting on the veranda, overlooking the flowers in the small garden, birds on the trees around and across the narrow road the green lawn of the Army Mess just in front of our quarters.  And after the tea, either a small walk or tending the plants in the ample garden at the back returning with the harvest of the day. There was plenty of time before office started at ten o’ clock and anyway it was just a couple of minutes for him to reach there in his scooter.

Getting back from the toilet, I tried to wake up my son more in a playful manner rather than in a strict way. He was just about three years’ old and was the best form of entertainment to have.  My wife came out of the kitchen with the tea and both of us went out to the veranda. The first thing that struck me that morning even as the morning looked so normal otherwise was the fact that the volume of the TV in our neighbour’s quarter was unusually loud. But we didn’t bother about it and sitting side by side, finished the tea . Then we had a stroll in the backyard garden and coming back found our son was still sleeping.

My wife went to the kitchen to prepare the breakfast and I switched on the TV for the news on Doordarshan .  I was humming a tune softly, keeping with the morning mood when the sombre face of the newsreader announcing something important jolted me out of all the good feelings of a pleasant morning. Ex-prime minister and Congress leader Rajiv Gandhi was no more. As we slept, he was assassinated by a suicide bomber, the previous night. The smiling face of Rajiv Gandhi filled the  TV screen . I gave a small shout to call my wife. Both of us watched, aghast. And as we were watching and discussing what happened , my son silently entered the drawing room through the adjoining door and asked – “ What happened , Baba ?"

As I answered the innocent child , I found my voice choked – “ Somebody died , son “ . I was wondering what to say .  How do I explain the innocent child about assassination , hate and politics. And I was also wondering why in spite of not liking the man who died and bearing a grudge against him for being a privileged person due to birth , I was feeling so distraught with his death . All my derisive animosity towards him, as a politician , as a member of the ruling elite , as the person who coined the insincere slogan Mera Bharat Mahaan , as the one who had the Bofors scam attached to him , everything vanished . I was just left with the memories of a smiling young man , a gentleman , a family man and a loving son to his mother.

After twenty five years , I still remember him the same way . An ordinary man who had responsibility and mantle of greatness thrust on him . A loyal son, a loving husband , a doting father and a gentleman . 

You walked away from my life

You walked away from my life forever,
on a fine summer day.
The precincts of my heart,
empty since then, waited for you.
But you never returned.
So much for the love I expected
never happened to me.
Hope you are fine and happy
wherever you are now.
That's what matters after all
to me after so many days.
Why did it all have to change
on that lovely summer day.
Without giving me a chance to explain
or try and make the magic
work again between us.
You decided to leave me
and walk away.
Whatever I wanted to say
my words, they stuck on my lips.
Now whenever I think of it
tears well in my eyes.
So much of love we shared,
why did it have to go away.
You remained forever in my heart,
since that lovely summer day

Flourish

Flourish in my heart
like a flowering tree
standing alone on a dry field
with its bountiful red flowers.

West Bengal 2016 - waiting for a result .

West Bengal 2016 - waiting for a result .

There is no last word in politics . The exit polls on election results have been proven to be so much away from reality in the past that they do are no more taken as the final word . People rather wait for the actual results instead of committing themselves to a position which might backfire and cover their faces with egg.

Such is the case with the exit poll predictions on WB assembly elections 2016 . Inspite of an unanimity in all the exit polls conducted, about the victory of TMC , there is widespread doubts among the people as well as the political parties. Though bolstered mentally with the predictions , even the TMC rank and file is suppressed and surprisingly mellow with the prospects . They must be elated in the heart of hearts with the exit poll projections, no doubt, but have preferred to postpone the jubilant celebrations for tomorrow . They want to be doubly sure about it .

The JOT , or the combine of the Left and the Congress too are guarded in their reactions with a prayer on their lips and hope in their hearts . They must be ruing the
delay in getting into an understanding and the lack of presenting an unified opposition against the TMC with a planned approach. If they lose , they have themselves to blame and if they win they have the thank the TMC . Any which way the result may happen , it will not be a vote for the JOT . This unpalatable truth must be digested by them , in stead of taking themselves too seriously .

The other truth which should be gulped as a bitter pill will be for the BJP . Even if they manage to get a stray seat or even a couple of them, they were never in the picture at all , in spite of spending so much money and deploying their top leaders repeatedly for election meetings . Even though it is foolish to predict election results , I make this prediction that the vote share of BJP will be much reduced from what it has been in 2014 LS elections . Mark my words on this .

But beyond all the drama during the election campaign , the uncertainty of the results and the suspense on the final composition of the assembly , lies the questions which have to be faced by the new government of the state as well as the people who voted in the elections . If TMC comes to power , will there be an escalation in the vindictive attacks on the opposition throughout the state ? If TMC comes to power , does it absolve them of the various charges of corruption, financial mismanagement and nepotism levelled against them . How much of it is true ? Will the TMC supremo take this opportunity to cleanse her party and project a much more humane and populist image for herself ? Will she be able to turnaround the state and concentrate on the three most important issues - job creation , education and health for the people ?

The Left- Congress JOT , if it comes to power , will have to sort out the ideological approaches first and knowing Congress , the internal squabbling too. That itself will take time to settle down . Then they have to contemplate whether they will have an open-arm and free-arms policy towards the TMC renegades who will try to ditch the party and come over , just as they did after the LF failed in 2011 . Will they be able to rid the state of the Lumpen-Raj and Syndicates ? Or will they go on a spree of witch hunting and blame the centre for everything ? Will the coalition hold for five years ?

For the people , it will be mere daydreaming if they expect too much from any of the formations . They can only pray that the post election scenario is not marred by bloody clashes . Whoever comes to power the people of WB can be assured of step motherly treatment from the centre because it will be away from the scheme of things envisaged by the ruling party . So they should be ready to fend for themselves. The only way for the people of the state to catch up with the rest of the country and the world is to concentrate on the strengths . And the strength of the people there has always been the soft power of knowledge and culture. Therefore the people of West Bengal themselves and their government should see to it that education becomes the sole focus of the state . Much wastage has happened but still with whatever resources the state has , it should strive to be in the position of the knowledge leader . At least achieve full literacy like Kerala first. Nobody is coming immediately with money bags to invest in the state and setting up industries will remain a distant dream . This is the bitter truth that the people of WB must digest . Sooner they do , it is better.

And yes , it will be a tense night to spend for many . Things may be entirely different tomorrow .

Flattery

There is no effect more disproportionate to its cause than the happiness bestowed by a small compliment. ~Robert Brault

There will be a very few persons in this world who would not feel the effect of a compliment received from another. And when the compliment relates to ones looks or body there is indeed a pleasant feeling of gratification which lifts up the mood in a harmless indulgence just stopping at the boundary of narcissism. But , while being  complimented upon is good for your self esteem , it should never be allowed to bloat your ego . And, one should be ready to discern between genuine compliment and flattery . There is a thin line but a wide gap between the import of the two .

Compliments are expressed without a hidden motive or a reason to extract benefit from the exchange or the relation between the two persons . Also there is no emotional, physical or patronising bondage between the two persons which necessitates the compliment. Because then it does not remain a compliment but becomes an encouragement or an incentive .  It is more likely to be spontaneous and therefore straight from the heart.  But flattery is directed towards the recipient with the sole object to please and create a feel good atmosphere to broach upon the next  item on agenda. Flattery is a great form of art and if practiced with refinement can be a great asset for the one who practices it . There are people who   can flatter with consummate ease and get their work done in the face of most challenging situations.  Not everybody can deliver flattering lines easily and those who do are often envied by others who don’t have the élan and grace to carry out the smooth and glib manipulations.

Rather than blaming the flatterer ,  it should be the flattered who should be held responsible for the success of the flatterer . Because most of  us knowingly fall for the ego massaging and tend to be in the company of people who flatter us because it generates positive vibes as long as there is no compulsion to do something . And this invariably holds true for successful , powerful and great people as it holds for the common man . Nobody is untouched from this , even the hermits and ascetics fall for it. It is just the degree of ego which gets covered. And when compliments  take the form of flattery and degenerates further , that becomes sycophancy.

On the opposite side of the spectrum , we find the person who provides you with  frank feedback . Here also there is the small issue of subjectivity involved . When the feedback is given out of a genuine concern for the recipient it is the best possible thing to happen . When it is given because there is an inherent contradiction between the understanding of the two persons and the feedback stems more from the non conformity of intellectual standards then it becomes an opposition . This can degenerate to hate and antipathy . The problem here is that the person who gives the feedback always believe that (s) he is right and the other side  should benefit from the advice.

I will share a small incident from my personal recollection. Recently during a gathering of some friends, someone pointed at my belly and commented that it was showing signs of increase which , indeed,  is a fact .  But I was slightly offended with this comment in front of others . This was a very temporary feeling , like a passing cloud , but nevertheless , I did not like it. Now within ten minutes, another person came up  and complimented me on looking fit and trim, loudly in front of others and making me a sort of example . I met both of them almost after the same interval of time. And as I was myself aware of my deficiencies, I could sense the flattering tone of the statement made in my praise. It intrigued me as to why the person was so lavish in his compliments all along. The mystery was cleared the next day when I received a phone call from him asking for some favour. Well that is another story and a different matter altogether. I will not dwell on it any more. 

The only thing why I narrate this experience is to show how we are conditioned to perceptions that we are prone to feel through the eyes of others. The first person was concerned as a friend and tried to warn me and the second person tried to extract advantage of our friendship. Both are my friends and I have nothing against any of them. Its only that now, I know.

Egg Rolls

Those who have visited Kolkata or have stayed there couldn’t have missed the ubiquitous “Egg-Roll” stalls everywhere in the city . You will find them also in  other towns of West Bengal and some of the neighbouring states but somehow it is not so wide spread in the rest of the country.  Maybe because , generally people in other states  have a definite culture of vegetarianism  and the smell of fried eggs in public places may not be welcome to many . Or maybe it is the same reason why Vada-Pav stalls are not so much popular beyond Mumbai and Maharashtra.   Whatever , it may be , if anybody has lived in Kolkata for an extended period of time in his/her youth , Egg-Roll becomes a part of  life and you miss it, elsewhere .  Those who have not visited Kolkata must have surely come across Egg-Roll stalls during the Durga Puja.

In Mumbai , there is something called Frankie which is something nearer to Egg-Rolls but there is a difference between the two . Also the Shawarma , middle eastern in origin is also a distant cousin . But the taste of Egg-Roll remains  different.  After staying for over a decade now in Mumbai , I find that  there is indeed a growing culture of Egg-rolls in the city as also the number of Bengali food joints . 

Egg-Roll is different in different countries  . The Chinese egg roll is a different thing altogether .  I have myself seen in Macau and Bangkok that what they call eggrolls are actually types of spring-rolls dipped in egg batter and fried crisp .  Other countries may have different definitions, I am sure . Bengalis have this knack of creating  different category of snacks sounding something else or meaning something different from the original . For example take  Alu Chop , Kobirazi cutlet , Fish fry , Kachoori , Moglai Parota  , Ledikeny  etc.  Each of course has its history which are quite interesting , too .

Kolkata Egg-roll  , as the outlet in my area proudly advertises , for the uninitiated, is in its simple form a plain  paratha with a layer of omelette on one side rolled with pieces of onion, chillies with a drop or two of green lemon juice inside . This is the basic eggroll . Now there are a lot of derivatives like Double Egg-roll , which ( yes,  you have correctly guessed ) means two layers of eggs on both sides , chicken roll , mutton roll etc.   There are variations for vegetarians too .  But they are not egg rolls . Just vegetables or paneer wrapped in parathas   . Like the  Hamlet without the  Prince of Denmark.  I confess that till date I have never tried a veg-roll .

Those who have tasted will only know how a  bite on the  minced or skewered kebabs of succulent juicy chicken or mutton , which goes as the filling in a hot tangy eggroll can elevate, uplift and change your mood . How mesmerising , the act of peeling off the layer of paper around the roll is , almost like enjoying a  delectable strip-tease .  The heaviest eggroll I have eaten in my life is the Double Egg Mutton roll from Hot Kati Roll on Park street in 2004 before I left Kolkata . It is really a fat monster to gulp down .   The preparation of an Egg-roll is simple and quick and this is the reason of its popularity  . It can be a very filling snack to satiate hunger instantly and at least once I had to perforce subsist on a dinner of two Egg Chicken rolls . This is actually a very versatile food  to have  in many occasions . Like  with friends in a group , in the interval  of a cinema ,  during the rehearsal of a play , during the night long trek of Durga Puja pandals  etcetera . It is as good on a rainy or winter evening with a cup of warm tea as also on a dry hot evening with a bottle of cold beer. It can be a comfort food as well as a on-the-go food .

My affair with eggrolls started probably in the late seventies 77-78 when I used to visit Kolkata and feeling hungry during my long treks on the roads , invariably had  a roll . If I am not mistaken  and my memory serves me right ,the price of a simple eggroll then was around Rupees three . But of course egg, oil and flour was also much cheaper then, even in those Burre Dins!!!

Then we had egg-roll shops opening up in our town Jamshedpur too by the start of eighties . The roll culture was initially Kolkata centered . Because I remember in 87 -88 also there was no eggroll stall in places like Coochbehar and Burdwan .  Only a very few in Siliguri . But by the nineties , it spread all over in the state . At Nizam  restaurant near New Market , Esplanade ,  they used to sell beef-rolls which were quite cheap compared to mutton-rolls and very popular too . I don’t know if they still do .  Hot Kati Roll , the shop on Park Street was a much frequented shop , both for its heavy rolls as also the taste . Many a times during late sittings in office or some programmes, we had rolls from that shop. And egg-roll always had that socialist aura with it being the food for masses with nutrition. 

Nowadays , I have this divine but most socialist food very rarely because of  (misplaced) dietary norms . But   I will vouch for its efficiency as a snack   . 

Private life.

The insane moments in life,

snared in the web of craven desires.

When the strongest resolve melts,

amidst the ruins of shattered barriers.

Some temptations brook no resistance

in the darkness of a humid night.

The seemingly endless waiting game, 

that ends in a frenzied submission.

To explore the depths of dormant fury

on the top of the waves that hoist high.

The heaviness of silent rhapsody ,

broken by the shrillness of ecstasy . 

Shadows merge in the stillness

for the one last and long silhouette.

Survival

Survival is a habit by nature

not a choice that we can discard.

Even in the ruins of nothingness

perhaps a reason to rummage around.

Strewn around , here and there

are the memories of another day.

Before I can decide upon

whether to call out your name ;

I find an echo in the breeze

calling out your name.

On this obscure island that I live

and spend my time in solitary confinement ;

these are the only means of survival.

As I watch the horizon for that boat

that can rescue me from here,

I wait patiently for light years

with the echoes ringing in my ear.

This way I survive , yet another day

to find my way to you , once again.

If you would care to visit me silently

and see for yourself, my fight for survival   

you could have understood;

why do the light years shrink into moments .

Cosmic dots in the canvas of eternity

trying to find their place , like me

along the dusty trail of a caravan. 

Random thoughts 12052016

That a minister in the Union Cabinet and one who is duty bound and under oath to uphold the constitution trashes the Judiciary, shows how desperate and vicious the mindset of these neo fascists are. Earlier we had the concept of committed Judiciary under Madam G's rule . Now this . Further if a lawyer says that the Judiciary is destroying the legislature brick by brick , it can mean that
1) his education is incomplete and all through his professional life , he has served the cause of law as a hypocrite and maybe tried to undermine the system at every given opportunity.
2) the legislature deserves to be disciplined and brought in line to uphold the rule of law.
3) There is a crying need of Judicial reforms in the country.

Let us remember that the constitution of India has been framed to safeguard democracy and plurality by adequate checks and balances through the three pillars of executive, legislature and judiciary. Taking a partisan view and badmouthing any of them is a danger signal for the democratic setup.

The tragedy is that the powerful want more power in their hands instead of using the power vested in them for the cause of the nation. There is no end to blame games and the legal education should not be always used to find loopholes and put blame on others . Leaders need to stand up and deliver on their promises .


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The fun and games , as expected has started with the induction of the great Master in the upper house . Emboldened by the support he receives from a section of the ruling hounds and their Nagpur masters, he started with Agusta Westland scam targeting his perennial obsession – Red Sonia and her family. But this he has been doing for years now and that can be a bit boring for a man who always believes that variety is the spice of life. So now , more as a side dish he has ordered for the head of the Governor on the Mint street , served to him on a platter . His next target seems to be none other than the FM ( not the radio station , you stupid moron Bhakt) . Can’t say that won’t be a bad idea . Now our Bhasmashur has been pining over the years for a real juicy post but successive leaders kept him at arm’s length and he never got a chance to prove his potential and quality as a thinker . That really rankles. So he is back to his favourite pastime of hurting friends . But surprisingly , he is silent about Amma , whom he had given a tough time earlier .

Just about a year ago on 2nd April 2015 we learnt from 56 inch that - "There is lot of similarity between the thinking of the RBI and government... This is absolutely essential. As a representative of the government, I express my satisfaction. RBI is performing its role and I congratulate Raghuram ji and his team" . Was this really Man ki Baat or a Jumlaa ? That should be clarified by the person who gave the statement provided he gets time amidst his busy schedule of addressing election meetings and foreign trips . Instead of comparing Kerala with Somalia , some attention should be paid to rein in his own partymen and ministers who are living in his basked glory and busy making controversial statements . Particularly with institutions like the Supreme Court and RBI which are proven institutions in a country which is ridden with imperfect institutions.

But one has to appreciate the up gradation of class in the “Quit India” statements . Till now BJP leaders and Bhakts were asking for deportation of anti nationals to Pakistan and Saudi Arabia . This man has better tastes . He want the Guv to be sent to Chicago . Great improvement in two years . Achhe Din aa gaye . 

Random posts 11052016

Life happens every moment and continues with its flow.
With me or without me . It is not for me to control all that happen . So there is no need for me to get worried about everything that I can't control. I can only keep my faith on things working out to a better tomorrow . But before that I need to get the burden that I have accumulated over the years of my life , thinking them to be mine. I need to let go , little by little and watch life unfold .

Every one carries a bit of sadness within,
a touch of the blues.
We all try to hide our disappointments
with a confident smile.
Deep inside all of us
locked in some secret vault,
somewhere is that utter empty space
which we are afraid to own.

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The railroad to Gwadar completed. This initiative from China is really a big step by them. They now have access to the Arabian sea by a short-cut. Just to put in perspective , the distance from Jorhat to Kutch is about 3100 km . Here the train line covers a distance of 8000 km. With this route they have logistical and infrastructural readiness to move freight and if required troops too , in a span of one and half weeks.

http://en.people.cn/n3/2016/0510/c98649-9055546.html

Hunger games

"When India achieved independence, more than 50 years ago, the people of the country were much afflicted by endemic hunger. They still are."
- Amartya Sen, Nobel Prize Winner

The judgement by the Italian court of appeals on Agusta Westland is hogging the limelight in the media and political circles and rightly so . Because it can have a very great effect on the political fortunes . So a lot of heat and dust is being raised on the issue everyday and the common citizen are expected to enjoy the tamasha as bystanders and place their bet according to their political inclinations, taste and preference.

But, very recently, the Supreme Court of Italy has also passed a judgement which should be more relevant to country like India where the number of people living in poverty and hunger may be much more than the total population of Italy . Stealing small amounts of food to stave off hunger is not a crime, Italy's highest court of appeal has ruled taking into consideration that stealing food "in the face of the immediate and essential need for nourishment" actually is not stealing at all.

But of course there will be no discussion on our media , political class and the people on this subject. Those who are jumping with anticipation of punishment for people involved in Agusta-Westland scam as also those who are denying any involvement , both sides , have no time for discussing such silly judgements. And the chattering class on the social media , who are so full of national pride and political prejudice , to tear into any issues , be it Swamy's tweets or Sunny's tits , what about them ? Well, I don't want exactly your feeling dear reader of this post because I don't want to embarrass you.

But take a survey for yourself . Just ask your friend , colleague or a family member on the judgement and ask for their reaction . Chances are that most of them will not be aware of the judgement . And among those who have heard or read about it, most will dismiss it saying - These western liberal ideas . They can say all this . See what has happened to Greece. Then the more knowledgable will break into the imminent danger of Europe and it's civilisation getting disintegrated for their too human , too liberal and ridiculously socialist style of functioning . The upwardly mobile will recall about Mafia , Olive oil and the last Roman holiday they had taken . Only a very few will relate the judgement to our country and compare . Sad, but that is a fact.

And then, if anybody speaks about hunger and poverty in our country , people will just ignore him . Call him a Commie ,Naxalite, Maoist , Terrorist, Ultra, Sickular , Libtaard , Jholaachhap and what not . The choicest abuses and the sum of all hidden frustrations that one had experienced right from the day of admission to Nursery till today will be heaped on such person with a vicious and in some cases violent outpour of a nationalist and patriotic citizen. Hunger does not exist in our country , It was never there in our society. People don't die of hunger in our country . People don't steal to satisfy their hunger. They don't sell their children due to hunger . They don't traffic girls due to hunger . Anybody who says that Indians are still hungry is portraying our great country from a wrong angle.

Whether it is the Sarkar of Achchhe Din, India Shining , Mera Bharat Mahaan or even Garibi Hatao , all will agree to this . It suits everybody . Maybe because the stark reality of starvation does not fit in our concept of a developed nation that we have drawn a picture in our minds. It does not gel with the soft power that our country is in the international field . It is jarring in context when we boast of the third largest army or the second largest importer of arms . The lip service on poverty through grandiose schemes and the statistics doled out at regular intervals prove their intentions and vindicate their actions, Period. You just need a slogan to wish hunger away and change it after every five years,.

But is it really with no relevance to our society and country . Have none of us ever seen, heard or read about how somebody who have stolen food has been thrashed by a group of people and then handed over to police , for more beating. Have we never really heard about women being forced to sell their bodies for hunger . Is it only true for films ? If in our country , we really make stealing food by hungry non punishable offence , in the footsteps of the Italian judgement , then what will happen ? Maybe that's why we don't want to discuss that judgement . We would like to hush up, bury the information. It should not reach the ears of the hungry people of the country . Let us forget this judgement by the Italian court on hungry people. Come . let us have a great debate on the judgement by the Italian court on hungry politicians.

For those who have read the above , I would like to spoil your mood further with the following informations:

India is home to the largest undernourished and hungry population in the world
15.2% of our population is undernourished
194.6million people go hungry everyday
30.7% of children under 5 are underweight
58% of children stunted by 2 years of age
1 in 4 children malnourished
3,000 children in India die every day from poor diet related illness
24% of under-five deaths in India
30% of neo-natal deaths occur in India

Nizami

“I condemn the mentality that sentences a ‘mujahid’ to death, who has neared the age of 70 and who we believe has no earthly sin. I consider such proliferation of hatred there and the understanding that orders such death sentences despite our repetitive initiatives neither as a fair governance nor as a democratic mentality.” - Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President , Turkey.

The person for whom the Turkish President is so concerned is none other than Motiur Rehman Nizami , the Ameer of Jamait- E- Islami in Bangladesh. Recently the supreme court of Bangladesh upheld the death sentence passed against this man , who his now in his seventies, for crimes against humanity during the 1971 liberation war. This relates to his involvement in the genocide and massacre of minorities and intellectuals unleashed by the brutal Pakistani army in alignment with the infamous Razakar , Al-Badr and Al-Shams forces. Nizami, was also a former M.P. and minister in ex-prime minister Khaleda Zia’s cabinet.

The present Awami league government has been very consistent in pursuing the cases related to the 1971 genocides which is a big blot on humanity . They have persistently followed up on the cases after forming the International Crimes Tribunal (Bangladesh) and the accused have been given a fair trial involving the process of law and appeals.Though some people , mainly from the Islamic fundamentalist organisations and the opposition Bangladesh National Party headed by Ms Khaleda Zia , have termed the trials as politically motivated and vindictive in nature , it is very apparent that a legal process has been followed instead of a kangaroo court or a shariah style of justice which the detractors themselves preach . No body can fault the Bangladesh government on this count.

Now , the trial, sentence and death penalty of the accused found guilty as per the laws of the land is an internal matter for any country and others should not poke their nose into it. That said , it is not surprising that Pakistan has protested against the death sentence to Nizami , as they had done in earlier cases also . These people involved in the genocide, rape, loot and other atrocities on the Bengalis in 1971 were , after all Pakistani stooges. And with the affinity of the Pakistan government with the various Islamic fundamentalist organisations , it is not entirely unexpected , though irritating.

What is more surprising is that of all foreign countries , The Turkish President Erdogan has made a statement as - “I condemn the mentality that sentences a ‘mujahid’ to death, who has neared the age of 70 and who we believe has no earthly sin. I consider such proliferation of hatred there and the understanding that orders such death sentences despite our repetitive initiatives neither as a fair governance nor as a democratic mentality.” This sort of interference clearly shows what or how Erdogan is placing himself as well as Turkey and why some countries like Russia consider him to be the biggest threat along with Saudi Arabia. This also gives credence to the theories floating about his involvement with the funding, arming and dealing with the ISIS .

Meanwhile there are instances of pressure from influential circles who are trying to save Nizami and his ilk. The best way to do that is to raise questions about the transparency of the trial and the provision for death penalty. Former US envoy for war crimes affairs Stephen J Rap said no death sentence is reasonable under international rule. Two co-chairmen of US Congress Human Rights Commission have in a statement called upon the Bangladesh government not to execute the death sentence of Nizami. The US continues with its muddleheaded policy and interference into the affairs of other countries. They also continue to support the different Islamic fundamentalist groups and organisations inspite of being at the receiving end of the Jihadi ideology espoused by such formations. It may be recalled that US Secretary of State John Kerry and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon had telephoned Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to stop the execution of the death penalty of Abdul Quader Mollah who was hanged in Dec 2013. . The US continues with its muddleheaded policy and interference into the affairs of other countries with their limited world view and selfish interests.

Bangladesh is presently witnessing a major civil strife between the Islamic fundamentalist forces and the civil society believing in democratic values. Often we hear about the murders of rationalists, atheists and secular people there. The Government headed by Ms Sheikh Hasina , in spite of its many faults has been a last line of defence standing between the democratic state and the prospect of a Taliban-ISIS like Bangladesh . The people of Bangladesh should understand that the forces which want them to become a wet version of Afghanistan have nothing to do with religion. They would push the country to the dark ages and only cause destruction änd devastation to the place which is called "Sonar Bangla".